Boxes provided to apple farmers to cover up red tape

DEHRADUN: Farmers from the apple belt of Tyuni and Mori blocks in Uttarakhand are again forced to procure carton boxes from Himachal Pradesh due to delay in the procurement of corrugated boxes for storing apples by the Department of Horticulture

Updated At : 05:54 AM Sep 19, 2016 IST

Apple boxes which are in short supply in Uttarakhand were seen at the National Apple Festival in Dehradun. Tribune photo

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 18

Farmers from the apple belt of Tyuni and Mori blocks in Uttarakhand are again forced to procure carton boxes from Himachal Pradesh due to delay in the procurement of corrugated boxes for storing apples by the Department of Horticulture.

So much so, for the Apple exhibition yesterday, these farmer had brought apples in boxes procured from Himachal Pradesh and carrying the Himachal Apple logo. And to cover up its failure, the Department of Horticulture immediately provided them with attractive corrugated boxes containing the Uttarakhand Apple logo.

“I was given these boxes on Saturday so that I could keep my apples in them for sale at the counter. Naturally, it created a good impression among VIPs, including the Chief Minister. But the reality is we have still not been provided boxes and had to procure these from Himachal Pradesh,” said Rajinder Chauhan, an apple grower from Tyuni.

Significantly, the corrugated boxes provided by the Department of Horticulture were of good quality. “I have never seen such boxes earlier. They are better than the those we procured from Himachal Pradesh. These are multi-layered and ensure safety and longevity of apples,” he added.

Tikam Singh Panwar, Additional Secretary, Horticulture, admitted that there had been delay in inviting tenders for boxes this season. “But boxes will be provided to apple growers by October end. There is no crisis as such. We have provided some boxes that were left with us last year. Around 15,000 boxes have reached Harsil,” he added.

However, apple grower Anil Rawat from Tyuni said the same story of delay in procuring boxes was repeated every year. “The government should give subsidy directly to farmers and take an undertaking from them that apples will be sold in boxes with the Uttarakhand brand name. At least we will not be left at the mercy of the government or the department,” he added.

Significantly, this apple season the farmers are expecting less production due to hail and vagrant winter conditions.